Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer
Jamaica's Usain Bolt (right) winning the men's 200 metres final in a championship record 20.03 seconds at the Central American and Caribbean Senior Championships in Nassau, Bahamas, yesterday.
NASSAU, Bahamas:
WORLD JUNIOR 200 metres record holder Usain Bolt struck gold on yesterday's final day of competition as Jamaica ended the 20th Central American and Caribbean Track and Field Championships in second position at the Thomas Robinson Stadium.
The women's 4x400m quartet of Moya Thompson, Sonita Sutherland, Shellene Williams and Allison Beckford won gold in 3: 30.63 ahead of Bahamas (3:33.14), however, the men's team finished fourth in 3:03.51.
With two gold, two silver, and two bronze yesterday, Jamaica ended the three-day championships with eight gold, five silver and five bronze for 18 medals overall. (Note: The gold and the silver medals won by Mardrea Hyman and Korine Hinds in the 3000m steeplechase were not added to the tally as only one country, and two competitors took part.)
CUBA ON TOP
Cuba topped the medal tally, but the final count was not available at press time.
In the men's 200m, Bolt easily defeated Trinidadian Aaron Armstrong in a new championships record, 20.03 seconds.
Drawn in lane five, in front of Armstrong, Bolt went out hard and had time to look behind. His new time broke the eight-year-old mark of 20.38 set by Cuban Ivan Garcia.
After the race, Bolt told The Gleaner he wasn't worried about the highly touted Armstrong who ran a wind-assisted 19.98 seconds to win his national trials, just over two weeks ago.
"I know I was prepared to challenge anybody right now," Bolt said. "I was going out there to do my best and I am proud of myself."
He admitted he could have gone faster, but spent too much time looking back on his rivals.
"I wasn't really running the race right, I looked back a couple times which I shouldn't do, but I can correct that sometime down the road."
In the end, though, Bolt's time was enough to beat Armstrong (20.35) and Bahamian Dominic Demeritte ( 20.47). Dewayne Barrett finished seventh in 21.00.
In the women's event, Peta-Gaye Dowdie, who anchored Jamaica to the sprint relay gold on Sunday night, produced a season-best 22.72 seconds for third behind Cyndonie Mothersill of Cayman Islands (22.26) and Bahamian Christine Amertill (22.64).
Two-time defending long jump champion Elva Goulbourne was dethroned. Her leap of 6.78m gave her silver behind Cuban gold medallist Yargerys Savign Herrera (6.88m). Peta-Gaye Beckford was fifth with a leap of 6.43m.
PERSONAL BEST
In the first final of the day, NCAA champion Aneita Denton produced a personal best 2:01.66 clocking for second behind defending champion Neisha Bernard-Thomas (2:01.07) of Grenada. Cuban Yusneysi Santiusti was third in 2:02.38.
Meanwhile, Jamaica's other entry in the final, Kayon Thompson, failed to finish. Thompson, who never looked comfortable after the first lap, went down on the track at the 600m mark, only to be stretchered off by the medical team.
It was reported that she suffered from chest pains and was taken to hospital.
In the men's equivalent, Ricardo Cunningham (1:50.89), made a gallant run in the straight, but it was too late to catch Cuba's Yeimer Lopez (1:47.64), Sherridan Kirk of Trinidad (1:48.31) and Moise Joseph of Haiti (1:49.60). National champion Aldwyn Sappleton (1:53.00) finished eighth.
Kimberli Barrett landed bronze in the women's shot put with a throw of 18.03m. Cuban Yumiledy Cumba Gay won in a new championships record of 18.98m, while Cleopatra Borel of Trinidad was second with 18.05m.
